Close your eyes gently and reflect upon your merit. Bring to mind all the good that you have done throughout this entire week, right up to this very day — over the course of these past seven days, what wholesome deeds have you made with sincere intention? Do this so that your heart may be fully saturated with merit. Then take all the merit accumulated throughout this week, together with the merit of today’s offering of food to the Sangha, and dedicate it to your fathers and mothers, grandparents, great-grandparents, and all your departed ancestors — so that they may receive abundant merit.
However, for the merit to be received in abundance, the one who dedicates it — that is, ourselves — must first be at ease in both body and mind. When the mind is in such a state, and we set our sincere intention and dedicate the merit to them, they will receive it at that very moment, without any loss or diminishment along the way. This is befitting of us as their descendants, for they poured immeasurable care and dedication into raising and nurturing us. Today, it is we — their children and grandchildren — who bring to them all the merit made throughout these seven days.
June 23rd, 2017
